1997 SATURN SL

286 complaints filed with NHTSA.

286
Complaints
38
Crashes
10
Fires
37
Injuries
0
Deaths

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE17
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL14
TIRES13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE12
SEATS12
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION11
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION9
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH7
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE6
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP6

Recent Complaints

20140814AIR BAGS

ON JULY 23, 2014 APPROXIMATELY 6:35P.M. I WAS ON MY WAY TO CHURCH ALONG WITH THREE OTHER PASSENGERS. MY SISTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND MY GRANDSON AND THE LADY THAT LIVE WITH ME WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. WITHOUT WARNING THERE WAS A BOOM OR EXPLOSION THAT CAUSE ME TO BRIEFLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE CAR WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND FUME FROM THE DEPLOYED AIRBAGS. MY ARMS WERE CHEMICALLY BURNED AND KNUCKLES ON LEFT HAND FROM HOLDING STEERING WHEEL. THE PASSENGER IN FRO

Mileage: 115,028

20080408POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1997 SL1 AND ON THE 3RD DAY OF OWNING IT THE SHIFTER BROKE CAUSING IT TO GO LIMP. AT THE TIME I WAS ON THE 101 FREEWAY STUCK IN TRAFFIC WITH MY THREE CHILDREN. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE TOWED IT TO HIS SHOP FOR REPAIRS. AFTER MAKING THE NECESSARY REPAIR, HE DID A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE CHECK. THIS WAS WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE OIL HAD WATER MIXED IN WITH IT CAUSING A WHITE SMOKE ESCAPING FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. I'M CERTAIN THIS PROBLEM WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND M

Mileage: 118,075

20070806FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SL2. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM THE HOOD. HE THEN PULLED OVER AS THE SMOKE TURNED INTO FLAMES. AFTER HE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, HE RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND OIL SPRAYED OUT FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD. THE DEALER HAS NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 131,000. UPDATED 01-11-08. *KB UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

Mileage: 131,000

20060210AIR BAGS

DRIVER WENT OVER A SPEED BUMP WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND HIT THE PARKING CURB JUST SLIGHTLY WHILE BRAKING. BOTH DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *NM

Mileage: 71,393

20060111FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO START CAR. AFTER A FEW TRIES, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED ONLY TO HAVE MOUNDS OF SMOKE ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SWITCH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WE REMOVED DASH COVERS AND IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK, AND LOWERED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FIND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD WHAT WAS A BLACK WIRE THAT WAS MELTED BARE FOR A COUPLE INCHES, AND DISFIGURED THE ENTIRE WIRE, AND MELTED THE INSULATION TO OTHER WIRES WITH

20051129FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

WHEN TURNING THE SWITCH TO START THE ENGINE, THE STARTER MOTOR STOPPED AN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT. ANOTHER COMPONENT FAILURE RESULTED FROM THE SHORTENING OF THE SWITCH. THE IGNITION CYLINDER SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM; HOWEVER, I CAN NOT FIND INFORMATION ON SAFEY RECALLS. WEB SITE HTTP://WWW.ALLDATA.COM/TSB/53/975307FC.HTML SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE A SAFEY RECALL 97-C-02 APR 97, TSB TITLE

20051016CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

MY CAR WAS BACKED INTO IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH PUSHED THE FROND END BACK INTO THE RADIATOR SUPPORT AND BUCKLED THE HOOD. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED AS WE WERE GOING DOWN THE STREET AT ABOUT 25 MPH, THEN REVERSED AT TOP SPEED INTO MY FRONT END. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *NM

Mileage: 145,610

20050425FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

1997 SATURN SL2. STARTED ENGINE, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN STOPPED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELLING SMOKE FLOWING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD INTO CAR. AFTER IT STOPPED, IT COULD STILL BE CRANKED OVER BUT WOULD NOT FIRE AND RUN. WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND PUSHED IT INTO OUR GARAGE, WHERE IT STILL SITS.*AK

Mileage: 77,000

20050329FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?

Mileage: 48,849

20050329FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?

Mileage: 48,849

20041217CrashTIRES

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

Mileage: 72,844

20041217CrashSTEERING

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO HIT A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *JB. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK

Mileage: 72,844

20040727CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

I BOUGHT A NEW 1997 SATURN , PAID CASH AND 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, I HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS. PUT BRAKES ON, COULD NOT STOP THE CAR (6/7/97). SATURN DID NOTHING REGARDING THIS. THEY SAID I WAS NOT USE TO THE BRAKES. TAPPED THE BACK OF A VAN. 2.) HAD GRAND CHILD IN CAR, BACKING INTO GARAGE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD AGAIN. HIT SAND BAGS HUSBAND HAD IN GARAGE THAT STOPPED CAR. SOME NUT CAME FROM ANOTHER STATE, SISN'T DRIVE EVEN 2 MILES AND SAIDM THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES!!!!! I WORKED

Mileage: 10

20040210FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WE EXPERIENCED A DASHBOARD FIRE IN OUR 1997 SATURN SL1 IN THE FALL OF 2003. MY WIFE TURNED THE KEY, STARTED THE CAR, SHIFTED TO REVERSE, AND BEGAN BACKING UP WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE CAR JOLTED TO A STOP, AND THE INTERIOR IMMEDIATELY FILLED WITH ACRID SMOKE. THE KNOXVILLE SATURN DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING--NOT CHEAP. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY-RELATED EVENT.*AK

Mileage: 54,000

20031205POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH IN FIRST GEAR TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO FOURTH GEAR WITHOUT WARNING, AND CONSUMER TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER SHIFTED VEHICLE TO NEUTRAL, THEN BACK TO FIRST GEAR TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MUSCLES PULLS, BUMPS, AND BRUISES. *NM

Mileage: 44,409

20031104CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

Mileage: 104,000

20021105CrashTIRES

GOING ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR THE REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE CAR CAUSING A CRASH. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTALLED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. DT

20021018CrashSEATS

CONSUMER STATES WHEN VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE BACK THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED BACKWARD.DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO REACH BRAKE PEDAL,CAUSING VEHICLE TO SLAM INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF THEM.RESULTING IN BACK INJURIES. MR

20020730FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK

20020719CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER

SEATBACK FAILED, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE PUT IN THE RECLINEPOSITION/ UNABLE TO CONTROL CAR.*AK